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4 thoughts on “Episode 11 – 27th November 2009”

Marsh’s report reminded me of a recent episode of The (American) Office, in which two characters are talking about criminal acts. One of the characters, Oscar, is gay:

Oscar: Why would you cancel Jim’s credit cards?
Kevin: I can usually think quick on my feet, but they were so fast on the phone.
Oscar: This constitutes identity fraud.
Kevin: Oh God. I wouldn’t last in jail Oscar; I’m not like you.
Oscar: What’s that supposed to mean?
Kevin: You don’t know about jail? Oh, you would love jail.
Oscar: Why would I love jail?
Kevin: Because… (smiles) You would love it.

I laughed because it was ridiculous, crass, and unexpected. I hope that doesn’t make me a bad person.

I think the biggest reason why I’m against people saying “I don’t want a religious doctor” is roughly the same reason I’m against people saying “I don’t want a coloured doctor.” I think being sceptical is mutually exclusive with being presumptive. We’re meant to question based on evidence rather than think in broad strokes based on stereotypes. I’m personally uncomfortably with Ariane Sherine’s broad us and them take on things because I think that’s divisive like a faith school and I think it’s more complicated than that.

I think if you go to a doctor and say “I want an abortion” and they say “No, you’ll go to hell” you should say “I want another doctor” but you shouldn’t refuse to go in the door saying “you’re a Catholic so you’ll be a bad doctor” because that’s just being discriminatory.